THE EXHIBITION.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2533, 22 May 1882, Page 3

THE EXHIBITION.

The promoters of the Exhibition have with great liberality announced their intention of devoting one half of tho gross proceeds at the gates on the 31st inst. towards the fund for the relief of the sufferers by the recent disaster at Timaru. They have requested the assistance of those who may be able to render the programme for tho occasion attractive, and no doubt it will be largely responded to, as the object is one fully worthy of every effort being made by the public to render tho liberal offer of the promoters the moans of adding substantially to the fund. The musical committee have arranged for a performance on the 25th inst., when the various prize winners in the contests will appear in a programme of vocal and instrumental music. The hon. secretary to the committee, Mr R. Walton, has already received promises from several of the contestants that they will take part in tho entertainment, which should be an attractive one from the varied nature of the programme.

The Austrian band on Saturday ployed two very good programmes of music, which were highly appreciated by those present. The prizes in the recent musical contest were awarded as follows:—Soprano solo, Miss Thompson; contralto do, Mrs C. M. Gray; tenor, Mr D Elmaino ; bass, Mr Huxtable, with Mr J. H. Edmonds highly commended. The clarionet prizs vat awarded to Signor Sorge, Signor P. Doßonis also receiving commendation. The judges recommended, with respect to Mr J. H. Edmonds, that as the points gained by him were within one of the first prize winner, a medal of merit should be awarded to him, with which recommendation it is understood the promoters intend to comply. The development to the extent tho Exhibition shows has occurred of the vast mineral resources of the Malvern district, is one of the most interesting features of the display made in the building. From a very early period in the history of the Canterbury district the Malvern Hills minerals have played an important part, and one of the members of the firm to whose special exhibits reference will presently be made, vis., Mr Ford, of the firm of Ford and Ogdon, has, by his indomitable perseverance and almost unlimited faith in the existence of valuable mineral deposits there, contributed in no small degree to the result now seen. Experts from other parts of the colony, who have visited tho Exhibition and carefully and critically examined □ot alone the manufactured products shown, but the raw materials from which they have been made, are loud in their expressions of commendation, alike of the excellence of workmanship displayed, and the value to the district of such deposits as exist at Malvern, The bay of Messrs Ford and Ogdon at tho Exhibition, equally with that of the Springfield Colliery Company, to which reference has already been made, is, therefore, an exceedingly interesting one. Mr Ford is one of the oldest mineral prospectors in Canterbury, he having seme twenty-five years ago prospected for minerals in the Malvern district. It must also be recollected that at that period the means of communication wero but primitive as compared with that uow existing, and Mr Ford may be regarded as one of tho pioneers of the district at this period. Mr Ford discovered, from his experience gained in the Peaks of Derbyshire, that there were very large mineral deposits in the country, and expressed his opinion to that effect, which, at the time, was strongly opposed by many. Mr Ford, however, persevered in his belief, and the result has proved that he was correct. The exhibits in the bay of the firm, not alone of manufactured erdcles, but of clays, minerals, gams, &0., chow conclusively that Mr Ford was perfectly right in hia observations. There is exhibited manganese, the use ot which, besides in the manufacture of Bessemer steel, is to supply the coloring matter for all kinds of glass manufactures and the necessary glaze for pottery ware. Ironstone, containing 50 per oent. of iron of supe.ior quality, it also exhibited. This stone also contains a large proportion ot the essential material for fluxing and melting. The moulding sands shown by the firm are of very high quality, as also are the specimens of glass sand and marble lime. In the front of the bay are displayed nearly twenty specimens of different clays and ganister. The clays comprise pottery, fire, terracotta and terra metallic, a clay similar to that used for the production of South Staffordshire or blue goods. This is used extensively for foundations and damp courses, in place of cement. Three descriptions of coal are represented, viz., the ordinary brown, the altered, and the true coal. These are obtained in the Malvern district, and represent over fifty feet of coal, discovered in various localities. In a glass ease is displayed a vary fine collection of native gems from the Malvern district. These include amethysts, agates, cornelians, opals, onyx, sardonyx, jasper, plasma (or green jasper), chalcedony, ssrde, garnets, rock crystals, &c. There is also displayed copper and arsenical pyrites, gold-bearing quartz, and alluvial gold. Messrs Ford and Ogdon exhibit an interesting collection of fossils, including some naturally formed cement stones full ot shells of the conshifera , and some very beautiful fossil ferns. The manufactured goods shown comprise drain pipes of all kinds and sizes, ornamental bricks, roofing, floor and malt kiln tiles. It may ba mentioned that the Italian tiles used in tho large building recently erected by Mr John Anderson, in Cashel street, were manufactured by Messrs Ford and Ogdon and were the first of the kind manufactured in the colony. The drain pipes exhibited range from three to eighteen inches in diameter, and there are also elbows, syphons, traps, bends, and other connections necessary for drainage purposes. The samples of bricks shown comprise fire and ornamental. For the production of the former the firm have exceptional advantages, inasmuch as they possess large deposits of ganister, and the result is that the bricks turned out are fully equal to Stourbridge. It has often been remarked that no one description of fire brick, however good, would suit all furnaces, and tho groat desideratum has been to so arrange as to produce bricks of high quality in various kinds. This, Messrs Ford and Ogdon, from the improvements contemplated in the works, &a., hope shortly to bo able to do. Another speciality of the firm is the production of tiles, of which samples are shown quite equal to tho celebrated Broseley tiles. The aggregate thickness of the seams of fireclay, analysed for the firm and proved to be highly valuable, amounts to 212't up to tho present date ranging in thickness from four to over forty feet. Malthouse tiles, garden borders, string courses, arch brickr, tooth bricks, chamfered, moulded and other bricks aro also shown in groat variety and of excellent quality. Some chimney pots ot good workmanship are shewn, and generally the bay is one of the most interesting in the Exhibition os illustrating the mineral resources of the Malvern district. The works, of which two sketches are shown in the bay, are situate at South Malvern, fronting on to the railway line with sidings to the works. Messrs Joseph Wain and Company, of Imperial Works, Willonhall, Staffordthire, exhibit in the bay of Mr A. T. Edwards a small bat unique collection of brass and iron pad, chest, drawer, cupboard, rim and till looks also patent rabbit, mole, rat and bird trap? fitted with springs. Messrs Wain and Co. have also samples _of their curry combs and other specialitiesThough unpretentious in character the exhibit will no doubt bo of considerable interest to builders, ironmongers, Ac, as the samples shown are evidently selected from ordinary stock. Some of the brass pad and till looks are worthy of notice on account of their finish, the japanned padlock* being noticeable from the variety of design, coupled with low price. Some of the padlocks exhibited are fitted with patent stamped keys, which, from their lightness and portability, are a great improvement on the old-fashioned bulky key.

In the Ohristohuroh Gas Company’s bay there has ust been added a splendid eihibit of wet and dry meters, manufactured by the well-known makers W. and B. Cowan, of London and Edinburgh. Both meters are most handsomely and ingeniously got up, with glass fronts and backs, so as to show tho whole of the working of what to most people is a box of mystery, Warner and Cowan’s wet meter has the compensating drum—that is, a small drum inside a larger one, for the purpose of preventing any variation of measurement or inconvenience of tho lights suddenly going out—thus making this meter an absolutely psrfect register. There are also full sized specimens of the double drums, made of pure tin, i>nd are noticeable for their excellent finish. These meters are almost entirely used by onr local Gas Company, and in practice fully maintain their high reputation. The dry meter is a beautifully finished piece of mechanism and handsomely mounted. Tho improvement claimed by the manufacturers over other makers is the peculiar manner in which tho leather diaphragms are fastened to the frames, viz, by a peculiar wire binding, instead of the usual clip. This has the effect of reducing friction on the leather, preventing it cutting, and rendering the life of the meter much longer. There are also samples of the leather used in the manufacture of the diaphragms, showing the separation of tho porous part from the underneath impervious skin. Messrs Elmsley and Curlett exhibit a dog cart, which was not forwarded in time fo judging. The cart is upholstered in black American patent leather and fitted with silver-mounted lamps. The painting is black, fine lined with Vermillion, picked out with black. Instead of the shafts being bolted, they are clipped, thus obviating the knee motion. The hinge of the tail door is so thrown down as to give plenty of room for the legs of any one who may bo occupying the back seat. The door shuts up closely without any appearance of hinges. The axles are Oolling’g patent, and tho general get up of the cart is suoh as to reflect very great credit on the builders. Thera is combined in this cart both strength and lightness, and no doubt had it been exhibited when the judpos examined the carriages would have received a prize, Tho following particulars, forming part of the jurors’ reports in sections 11. and 111., were omitted at the times of their publication : Sbotioit 111.

Forwarded for the information of Messrs Joubert and Twopeny.— E. Kichabdson. Messrs Richardson, Berg, Aitken, and Bmith. Cashel street, Christchurch, May 11th, 1882. Gentlemen, —In compliance with your request to be supplied with particulars as to number of tin canisters, &0., made by me and supplied to meat preservers, biscuit manufacturers, sugar boilers, &0., I beg leave to band you the following information. I imported the first plant for making tins for coffee, pepper, &c,, previous to which the tins were imported, all ready for being soldered up, and that only by one firm, viz., Trent Bros , for their own use. After supplying them for a number of years, I sold them the plant, their business having increased sufficiently to justify them in making their own. Sines this date I procured a more complete plant, and now supply the two other principal grinders and several smaller customers with canisters, my weekly average being about nine to ten grs. per week, and these to customers, whom individually it would not pay to make their own, leaving out the cost of the plant—which for a complete plant would cost about £2OO without any raw material. The next line was canisters for baking powders. This has not as yet assumed any large proportions. Sufficient to say, in response to inquiries as to whether they could bo made here at a suitable price, I fitted up dies and turned out a considerable quantity of tins, thus enabling manufacturers to place the article in the market in a marketable form. Preserved Meat Tins—With the value of exports in this line I do not go into, as a very large proportion of the total is shipped by companies who make their own tins. I confine my figures to the value of meats, &0., put up in tics of my own manufacture. I commenced the manufacture of these tins in August, 1877, since which date I have effected an improvement in the shape of the tins, which has had the effeot of increasing the value of the contents in the English market from £d to Jd per lb. Coming to quantities, I find from my ledgers that I have turned out np to date 203,493 tins, these holding 789 0381bs of meat in the various forms as preserved, the value of which in the English market averages from 4f d to 5Jd per lb; taking it at 5d per lb, gives the value of the export at £16,428 5i lOd. Next in importance is tins for jams. Dp to a [very recent period, I am given to understand that our demands were supplied entirely by importation. Several factories have since started, but these, as with the meat preservers, make their own, my customers being those unable to do this. I have only made these tins during the last fruit season, but have turned out in that time 22,269. Biscuit and JLolly Tins.—The same general remarks apply to this line, special machinery being required. My output of these lines is about If gross per week. Blacking Tins.—This industry has only just started, and only about 20 gross tins made, so that I do not deem it necessary to go into figures, sufficient to say, without the tins, this industry would not have been in existenco. as it has been tried before put up in skin or oiled paper, and proved a failure. For samples of the tins I refer you to my exhibit; for samples, when filled, I reler you to — For coffee, pepper, and spice, and chicory, &c., to Mr W. T. Grinsted’s exhibit. For preserved meat tins, to Mr J. Mersdeii exhibited by Hawkins and Co., part of W. H. Mein’s exhibit, and James Gear, of Wellington. I may state that Mr Gear makes his own, using my patent under license. For jam tins, to W. Thomson’s exhibit. For biscuit and lolly tins, to Messrs Aulsebrook and Co,, and Mouldy and Christian.

For blacking tins, to Messrs Campbell and Bell’s.

In conclusion, I am aware that some of our local manufacturing companies completely crush me out in the amount of money invested in plant, and the number of hands they employ in their one industry ; but I claim at least the merit of contributing to local industries previously mentioned, the one being required by the manufacturer, without which their special industries would be, in some cases, seriously crippled, and in others not started at all; and taking the value of my own trade, and adding the value of those to whom I contribute, together with the total number of hands employed in the various industries referred to, I think the grand totals would not bo far short of our most prosperous companies, and trust that you will see from the foregoing that I hive in some cases assisted to a considerable reduction in the value of our imports, whilst also adding to the value of our export*. Yours respectfully, Joseph Pipee. SECTION 11.

Messrs Beid and Q-ray, Dunedin, employ 200 hands constantly, consume annually 400 tons pig iron, 300 tons bar iron, 150 tons standard iron, 50,000 ft of kauri timber, 20,000 ft o£ blue gum, ironbarl, kc„ upwards of 1500 tons of coal, and 100 tons of cok<u Make on an average every year for colonial requirements, 700 ploughs, 550 sets harrows, 200 reaping machines, 160 drays, 120 chaffcutters, 80 Cambridge rollers, 120 horsepowers, 90 pulverising di?o harrows, 30 grubbers, 50 broadcast seed-sowers, 700 sets swiagletrees, 25 corn and seed drills, 150 I ons of standards. The total value of manufactured goods being upwards of £50,000 per annum. They also dispose of, every year, 10 eels or threshing machinery, and 40 tons of binding wire. Motive power of works 35 h.p. engine nominal. They hare in ceurso of erection another engine for woodware and reaper and binder factory about to be erected. This when completed, will require a large amount of additional labor. Their malleable oast and chilled cast share industries are increasing rapidly, some hundred of dozsns of the latter being turned out annually. They have branch establishments at Christchurch, Oamarn, Timaru, Invercargill, Ashburton, and Auckland. They have within the last twelve years turned out upwards of 6000 ploughs and large quantities of other implements. Jaueb Daizbil.

FABil NOTES FOB THE MONTH.

[PBOU THE “ WSKIT FKMfl.”] The end of April may be considered the close of the agricultural year. Tho crops are all harvested, an ■ in most cases threshed tmd disposed of, either by sale to local merchant* or by shipment on growers’ account, and farmers have to devote all their energies to the production of another crop. Farmers' prospects are certainly much brighter than they were at this time last year, with regard to grain growing at any rate. Cattle and horses are still very low in price, but the lowest point has probably been reached, and a turn for ihe better will in all likelihood soon take p'ace. At the fall of the year farmers should take a retrospective view of the last year’s work, and endeavour to ascertain what mistakes hare been made, what <-rrors in management that should be avoided in the ensuing farm year. Every one should be wiser for the year’s experience; no farmer of ordinary intelligence can go through the different seasons of ploughing, sowing, harvesting without finding out something that he did not previously know. All farm products are greatly influenced by the weather, and what may be successful’ one year may prove a failure the next. Ench questions as the following should occur to every thinking man when reviewing the work of the past year, and notes take* of the recult for his lu'ure guidance. Did the early sown or late sown wheat turn out the better crop ? Which field gave the best yield (other conditions being equal) the one ploughed deep and deeply seeded, or the one ploughed shallow and giving only a shallow seed bed to the seed corn ? Did the drilled wheat or that sown broadcast turn out tho best crop f Many other questions relative to the work of tho farm should be satisfactorily answered before the farmer begins the operations of another year. Wheat sowing will be occupying farmers’ attention just now, especially as the price of that cereal has improved so greatly during the last few months. There ca*be no question that autumn or winter sown wheat gives, taking one year with sajthor, the best returns. Spring wheat oftc* yields well, but is more uncertain than autumn wheat and more liable to the red rust.

The late rise in oats indicates a short supply of that grain, and the supply will probably bo still shorter ere next year’s crop can be harvested. A sowing of oats may be made this month, which will be fit for the reaper by Christmas or soon after, and so fetch a good price before the bulk of the crop can be placed in the market. The present high price of oats will tempt a great many farmers to put in every available acre to oats, and the market wifi very likely be glutted next year, though it may be a year or two befors they come down again to a shilling a bushel. The projected five million loan, if floated, will no doubt give an impetus to all kinds of work throughout the colony, and as long as there is plenty of borrowed money circulating through the country the oat market is pretty brisk and farmers generally are in good spirits, bat when the money is expended a relapse is usually experienced, and a few bad years, together with the increased interest to pay, will perhaps plunge the colony into a state of depression worse than that from which we have but just emerged. Every good farmer will have provided a sufficient supply of food for the flock he intends to winter on the farm. If stock cannot be kept in good condition it is better not to keep any at all. No animal should be allowed to fall off in condition at this season of the year. All its flssh and vitality will be required to enable it to withstand the trying weather and short commons of the next few months. Dairy cows in particular should receive great care and attention just now. Shelter should be provided for them in the worst weather, no cow can be expected to give a fair quantity of milk if allowed to camp out in all weathers, with nothing but a hedge to protect her from the driving winds and rains of winter. Winter dairying is generally the most profitable, because so few farmers feed their cows well enough to keep up the flow of milk during the cold weather. There is nothing like plenty of mangels, with a little hay, for feeding dairy stock in winter, and to get good mangels the ground should be ploughed deeply now and then it will be in good order for working down in the spring. Some people prognosticate that we shall have a severe winter because of the appearance of the Aurora Australis ; however, it is advisable to make every provision during the month for wet weather, Fodder stacks should be securely thatched, and drains out to carry off the drippings. All machinery ought to bo put under cover, for one winter's exposure to the weather is worse than two seasons’ work. Surface drains should be made through the wheat lauds, either by the hand or by the plough, to carry the storm water away. Many acres of wheat are perished every year from want of attention to this matter. None of the grain plants and wheat least of all can keep alive, much less grow, in stagnant water. Weeds, grass and rubbish should bo cleared out of the ditches to allow a free channel for the water to flow away or it might overflow the land to the detriment of the crops and fences.